Alabama Claims Arbitration 1872 (USA and UK)

Alabama Claims Arbitration 1872 (USA and UK)

Principle: No state can deny the international responsibilities using his domestic law as a shield. But the state law have to connection in the International Law.

Fact: In (1861-1865) the USA civil war was occurred. Then Britain declared neutrality of this war and that is accepted as the USA. But the confederate navy made many warships used in civil war from Britain. The US authority requests to Britain that they can take action against the company of the ship. But Britain did not take any action against such company. As the violation of the agreement, USA had claimed compensation from Britain on the ground that it had violated the law of neutrality.

Issues: Whether under the Washington agreement Britain follows the neutrality or not. Whether Britain was liable to pay any compensation to the USA or not.

Decision: It was held that Britain failed to follow the neutrality so that Britain had to pay US 1, 55, 00,000 dollars so that Britain had to pay in this amount in Gold in the form of compensation for the violation of the laws of neutrality.

Reasoning: No state to keep away from the international responsibility to shelter the national law.  Each and every state has accountability to protect their national law, but not avoiding international responsibility.